Flooring structure



Nov. 21, 1933. BATES 1,936,536

FLOORING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 22, 1932 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 21, 19331,936,536 FLOORING STRUCTURE Walter A. Bates, Gary, Ind, assignor toBeulah H.Bates, Gary, Ind.

Application December 22, 1932' Serial No. 648,351

11 Claims.

.This invention relates to flooring for bridges and other structureswhich requires that it shall be self-supporting under heavy loads.

The object or" the invention is to provide a stron and substantialflooring adapted to stand heavy loads and resist shocks, jars andvibrations to which bridges and other structures are subjected.

.Another object of the invention is to provide a flooring structure inwhich a plurality of T- irons having their heads arranged in parallelrelation edge to edge and in contact and their webs upstanding are tiedtogether by cross-bars ofncvel construction to form a strong,substantial rigid structure.

And a further object of the invention is to provide a flooring structurewhich can be made in sections and assembled on the job for filling witha concrete or other mixture.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating a selected embodiment of theinvention,

Fig. 1 is a section of the flooring.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View through the T-irons.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a cross-bar showing how it is cut to form thelegs and also showing the legs in broken lines in final position.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a portion of a T-iron.

Referring to the drawing, each T-iron has a head 5 and a web 6. TheseT-irons are arranged with their webs upstanding and their heads inparallel relation edge to edge and in contact. The flooring structuremay be made on the job or sections may be prepared and laid edge to edgeon the job, each section comprising a plurality of T-irons of suitablelength tied together by the cross-bars and ready to be filled with theconcrete or other mixture 7.

Each cross-bar comprises a metal strip 8 which is cut angularly atspaced intervals as indicated by 9 and these out parts are then bentdownward in pairs to form legs 10. The legs are spaced apart where theyjoin to the strip and their lower ends contact forming a triangularspace 11 between each pair of legs. The outer edge of each leg tapersfrom the top and from the bottom to a point about midway of the lengthof the leg which thereby increases the width from each end to itsmiddle. The cross-bar is reduced in width at 12 and the webs of theT-irons are notched at 13 to receive these reduced portions so that thetop edge of the cross-bars will lie 'tions 14 at the sides of the websand enlarges the on the cross-bars are arranged in alternate channels 17between the webs of the T-irons and I rrange the cross-bars'so that thelegs on one cross-bar will be in staggered relation to the legs on theadjacent cross-bar. A section of the 11001"- ing as shown in Fig.1 willhave a leg 10 on one end of each cross-bar and this leg will be weldedat its lower end to the head of the T'-iron. I prefer to weld thecross-bar at its upper end to the web at 18 to assist in holding theparts of the section rigidly together.

After the parts of the sections are assembled on the job, the concrete 7is poured into the spaces between the webs of the T-irons andrcompletelyfills these spaces flush with the top edges of the webs and thecross-bars to form a continuous smooth surface. The cross-bars anchorthe T- irons together with the edges of their heads in close contact andform a solid rigid structure which will hold the filling and provide astrong and substantial flooring. The cross-bars not only serve to anchorthe T-irons together but they also constitute a reenforce for thefilling.

I have shown and described a simple embodiment of the invention adaptedfor commercial use as a bridge floor structure and flooring but it maybe necessary or desirable to vary the form, construction and arrangementof parts for other uses or to satisfy diiierent conditions and I reservethe right to make such changes within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. A flooring structure comprising a plurality of T-irons arranged withtheir heads inparallel relation edge to edge and in contact with theirwebs upstanding, and cross-bars engaged with the upper edges of the websand having integral legs extending downward and secured to said heads.

2. A flooring structure comprising a plurality of T-irons arranged withtheir heads in parallel relation edge to edge and in contact and theirwebs upstanding, and cross-bars engaged with the upper edges of the websand having integral legs extending downward and secured together attheir lower ends and to said heads.

3. A flooring structure comprising a plurality of T-irons arranged withtheir heads in parallel relation edge to edge and in contact and theirwebs upstanding, and cross-bars engaged with the upper edges of the websand having integral legs extending downward and secured together attheir lower ends and to said heads at the joint therebetween.

4. A flooring structure comprising a plurality of T-irons arranged withtheir heads in parallel relation edge to edge and in contact and theirwebs upstanding, and cross-bars engaged with the webs and havingprojections extending downward from the cross-bars into the channelsbetween said webs.

5. A flooring structure comprising a plurality of T-irons arranged withtheir heads in parallel relation edge to edge and in contact and theirwebs upstanding, and cross-bars engaged with the webs and having partsthereof bent downward into the channels between the webs.

6. A flooring structure comprising a plurality of T-irons arranged withtheir heads in parallel relation edge to edge and in contact and theirwebs upstanding, and cross-bars engaged with the upper edges of the websand having integral legs extending downward therefrom in pairs in thechannels between the webs.

7. A flooring structure comprising a plurality of T-irons arranged withtheir heads in parallel relation edge to edge and in contact and theirwebs upstanding, and cross-bars engaged with the upper edges of the Websand having integral legs extending downward therefrom in pairs in thechannels between the webs and having their lower ends secured together.

8. A flooring structure comprising a plurality of T-irons arranged withtheir heads in parallel relation edge to edge and in contact and theirwebs upstanding, and cross-bars engaged with the upper edges of the websand having integral legs extending downward therefrom in pairs in thechannels between the webs and having their lower ends secured togetherand to said heads.

9. A flooring structure comprising a plurality of T-irons arranged withtheir heads in parallel relation edge to edge and in contact and theirwebs upstanding, and cross-bars engaged with the upper edge of the websand with said heads in the channels between the webs.

10. A flooring structure comprising a plurality of T-irons arranged withtheir heads in parallel relation edge to edge and in contact and theirwebs upstanding, and cross-bars engaged with the upper edges of the websand having integral legs extending downward and secured to said heads,said legs being enlarged transversely between their ends.

-11. A flooring structure comprising a plurality of T-irons arrangedwith their heads in parallel relation edge to edge and in contact andtheir webs upstanding, and cross-bars reduced transversely at spacedintervals and engaged at their reduced parts with the upper edges of thewebs and having projections between said reduced parts extendingdownward in the channels between the webs.

WALTER A. BATES.

